A Late Night Talk
by ginnyweasley777
Summary: Harry and Ginny talk before Harry leaves on the Horcrux Hunt.


*Many thanks to Amelie for the beta work. Reviews are much appreciated.*

A Late Night Talk

It was very late, or perhaps it was very early, and Harry had been sitting at the kitchen table for what felt like hours in the semi-darkness of a summer night. He hadn't been able to get to sleep for thinking about Ginny, and Ron and Hermione, and the Weasleys, and the war with Voldemort, and Dumbledore, and everything that Rufus Scrimgeour had said. His mind was in turmoil, churning things around over and over again. The warmth of the night air hadn't helped either, as it had covered him like an oppressing blanket, smothering him until finally he'd got out of bed and gone down to the kitchen to brood.A slight noise came from the stairs and Harry sat still, hoping that he wasn't about to be disturbed. A shadow appeared in the doorway and Ginny entered the kitchen. She looked as though she was having as bad a night as Harry was; her hair was tousled and her face was creased with worry. She didn't notice him sitting in the shadows at the table as she made her way to the sink.

"Hi, Ginny," said Harry.

Ginny jumped, startled by the sound of his voice, and turned to face him. "Hi, Harry. How come you're down here so late?"

"Couldn't sleep," he replied, shrugging. "You?"

"The same," she said, turning back to the sink.

Ginny walked over to the table with a glass of water and sat down on the chair next to him. Harry couldn't help but appreciate the way that her hair fell around her shoulders and framed her face, giving her a look of innocent beauty. His mind strayed to the 'birthday present' that she had given him. He had never wanted to lean over and kiss her as much as he had done right then, but Ron's words were still fresh in his mind, so he didn't.

Ginny took a sip of her drink. "You're going after Tom when you leave, aren't you?" she asked.

Her words startled Harry out of his reverie. He couldn't lie to her; he just couldn't, so he said quietly, "Yes, we are."

Ginny nodded, deep in thought. "I thought as much. Will you promise me one thing then, Harry?"

She looked deep into his eyes, as if daring him to say no. He didn't really know what to say so he compromised. "I'll try," he said carefully.

"Promise that you'll give him hell from me," she said, flicking a lock of hair angrily over her shoulder.

Harry stared at her for a moment, then laughed. He couldn't help it; she truly was the twins' sister. Ginny laughed too, then sobered quickly. "I mean it, Harry. That bastard deserves all that he gets, and I have complete faith in you to do it."

Harry's smile slipped as all of his misgivings surfaced. "Why, though? Why do you have so much faith in me, Ginny? What makes you believe in i_me_/i so much?"

"Harry, I believe in you because I know that you're strong enough to beat him. You've done it before and you'll do it again," replied Ginny sincerely.

Harry shook his head. "I don't know, Ginny. This... task that Dumbledore has set me makes it seem impossible, and yet I know that I must do it because otherwise there will be nothing left to fight for, for anyone."

"It's not going to be easy, Harry, but you've just got to remember that anything's possible if you've got enough nerve." Harry smiled and Ginny reached out and took hold of his hand, entwining their fingers. "You'll do it, Harry. You'll win this war," she said softly, looking intently into his eyes.

Harry couldn't help himself. What Ron didn't know wouldn't hurt him and besides, Ginny knew the score, she knew that he was leaving for an indefinite length of time and might not come back. If he'd stopped to really think about it, then he might have remembered all of his reasons for breaking up with Ginny in the first place, but he didn't. So he kissed her, and she kissed him back.

It wasn't rushed as the one in her room had been, but it was just as wonderful. He drank her in as a drowning man takes in air. It was as if she was his life-force, the only thing keeping him alive and in this world, and it was bliss.

When the need for air became too great, Harry pulled away, gasping for breath. It was only then that he realised that he'd pulled Ginny into his lap. "You know," he said, rubbing small circles on the bare skin at the base of her pyjama top. "Dumbledore always told me that my greatest power was love, I now know what he meant."

"What…what are you saying?" asked Ginny, questioning him with her eyes as well as her voice.

"I love you," said Harry simply, "and Voldemort can never take that away from me because it comes from my heart."

Ginny kissed him, telling him without words how she felt. i_This is far better than Firewhiskey,_/i thought Harry absentmindedly.

After several minutes there was another creak from the stairs and Harry and Ginny sprang apart. Ginny slid back onto her own seat and Harry missed the closeness. After a few moments of silence and no one entering the kitchen, Harry said, "I guess we should both be getting back to bed."

"Yeah," agreed Ginny reluctantly.

Hand in hand, they ascended the stairs together and came to a halt outside Ginny's bedroom. Harry leaned in for one last kiss.

"Harry," whispered Ginny, one hand on the door knob. "I love you too. Oh, and no more brooding."

"I wasn't brooding!" protested Harry quietly, fully aware that Hermione was sleeping in the room beyond.

"Yes, you were," said Ginny, her eyes sparkling. With that, she opened the door and slipped inside the room.

Harry felt much better and more optimistic as he got back into bed. He was glad to have something good in his life and some good memories to hold onto in the dark months that he knew were coming.


End file.
